I am the Black Widow of the vacuum cleaner!
I am not proud of it but I have killed off about eight vacuum cleaners in my housekeeping career. (This is higher than average especially because I don’t clean that often)
I admit this because I just recently got vacuum number eight fixed. Apparently, it wasn’t actually broken. It was clogged. I didn’t understand how this was possible as I had cleared out the main container and even washed out the filter. Turns out there are two filters. Who knew? Not me.
This is why at least a few times a week, I look to the sky and ask, “Where is it written?”
Please do not suggest it was likely in the manual. I am unsure where that would be in my filing system, nor would I read it if I could locate it.
While surfing the internet (while I should be reading the manual), I came upon this really great idea – the fix-it fair.
I don’t believe we have anything like this locally, but if we do let me know where and when.
So, as part of this event, they offer the Repair Café where you can bring one item like a small appliance, tool, camera or maybe a vacuum, and a volunteer will not only fix it for you but teach you how to do it yourself. This is exactly what I need. I need to be able to see how it works and which button does what so I can figure things out myself.
Flashback to Thanksgiving weekend where by brother-in-law was attempting to explain vacuum “suck” to me.
Him: “You see how the suck comes out of this hose?"
Me: “I can see this Hoover sucks”
Him: “Pay attention. When you push this button the suction comes from here. This button forces the air into the hose. Got it? Plus, you need to clean the filter every three months.”
Me: “That seems excessive.” (insert grumbling here)
Anyway, the point is once I was aware there were two filters and how to access them, I will now be more attentive.
So, this fix-it fair sounds awesome.
Municipalities host them to bring neighbours together to offer them workshops on how to save money, conserve energy, home repairs and money saving tips. I know a lot of communities offer all sorts of home shows with “how-to” lessons but this Repair Café intrigues me.
It would be like Antiques Roadshow except the stuff you bring to show is broken. Who doesn’t have something that seems too good to toss but isn’t working properly – a clock, a blender, a camera, whatever? It seems like another way to keep more junk out of the landfill. Win-win.
The ones I researched in Oregon also offered free daycare, free lunch and free giveaways.
Their motto is that “repairing is better than replacing.”
So. I’m on the lookout for a fix-it fair. You want to come? Bring your own vacuum!
